Sun visor with conducting arm for vehicles

ABSTRACT

The sun visor comprises a plate ( 1 ) for fastening to the bodywork of the vehicle and an arm ( 2 ) mounted in a hinged manner on the base ( 1 ), which in turn constitutes the means of assembly for the eyeshade of the sun visor. The arm ( 2 ) has a pair of conductive metallic elements ( 9 ) and ( 9 ′), located approximately parallel to each other and coated by means of an over-injected material, leaving the end ( 10 ) of such metallic elements ( 9–9 ′) uncovered to be able to establish contact with strips ( 7 ) foreseen in the hole ( 5 ) wherein the arm ( 2 ) is mounted in a hinged manner, whilst the other end of such elements ( 9–9 ′) in one case appears on the exterior in a terminal length ( 11 ) and in another of shorter length and defines a terminal end ( 12 ) which is uncovered on the arm ( 2 ), to be able to establish connection with a contact established on the actual eyeshade of the sun visor, for the enabling or disabling of the electrical device which can interact with said sun visor.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a sun visor for vehicles which, beingconstituted by the articulation of an arm on which is mounted thecorresponding eyeshade and a supporting base secured to the bodywork ofthe vehicle, has the particularity that the arm is fitted withconductive metallic rigid elements constituting individual insertsinside an encircling insulating and non-conductive material, so thatthose elements have their ends shaped in a special way so that thereoncontact can be established or not by some electrical power supplyterminals proceeding from the vehicle itself, so that in accordance withthe position of the arm with respect to the supporting base or of theeyeshade with respect to the arm itself, it will be possible toestablish the connection and disconnection and therefore the actuationor not of an electrical device which can be mounted on the actualeyeshade of the sun visor or in another part of the vehicle.

The assembly falls within the field of the sun visors with electricaldevice, being compatible with any one of the systems habitually employedfor its assembly and fastening, as well as being compatible with anyknown sun visor technology of those which incorporate some type ofelectrical device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At the present time different systems are known of defining a hinged sunvisor assembly with electrical device, systems which comprise differentelements to fulfil all the functions which are required of thecorresponding pieces.

As is known, in a sun visor two fundamental parts or bodies intervene,one corresponding to the base for fastening to the bodywork of thevehicle and the other corresponding to a mobile subassembly formed by asupporting arm which is mounted in a hinged manner on the aforesaidbase, and an eyeshade which in turn is also mounted in a hinged manneron said supporting arm.

In the sun visors with electrical device, the mobile arm has a metallic,usually hollow core, to provide rigidity and a plastic coating foraesthetic purposes and for reducing friction, so that the electricalconnection between the vehicle and the sun visor is implemented by meansof cables and conductors which are hidden inside the actual mobile arm.In some advanced models the conductors are over-injected constitutingpart of the actual mobile arm.

On the other hand, the electrical connection is implemented by means ofelectrical connectors, it being necessary to define a male-female unitfor the connection between vehicle and sun visor. The mechanical unionof the sun visor with the vehicle is implemented through the base of thehinged system.

The different switching devices are implemented by means of mechanismsbased on conductive boards with various designs, but in all cases havinga common denominator which consists in that it only has a switchfunction.

The functions of rigidity, electrical connection, switch and hinge, inthe known models of sun visors, are provided by different pieces and ofdifferent nature, requiring multiple assembly operations during theproduction of the sun visor, with what this implies in time, cost, riskof poor quality and lack of reliability in use, as well as that theautomation of the fabrication process of the end product is made moredifficult, increasing the cost of the sun visor.

In a word, the current sun visors with electrical device have a seriesof restrictions and drawbacks which can be summarized as follows:

-   -   Lack of reliability and substantial complexity of the electrical        connection between the bodywork or the panel of the vehicle roof        and the actual sun visor.    -   The current means implement the functions of conductor and        switch in a complex way with a high number of pieces and of        assembly operations for their construction.    -   Switch functions not integrated in the mobile arm.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The sun visor disclosed, has been designed to resolve the problemoutlined above, providing the added functions of electrical conductorand of double switch, since the constitution of the assembly which themobile arm and the base plate form, are constituted to determine anintegration of functions, the mobile arm containing the functions ofrigidity, electrical connection and switches, as well as its own, whilstin the base supporting and fastening the assembly to the bodywork of thevehicle, in addition to the function of joining the hinge to the sunvisor with the vehicle, the functions are included of electricalconnector and switch.

This arm concept also allows the production in a single manufacturingoperation of the actual arm with the connecting conductors and terminalsincorporated.

More specifically, the sun visor of the invention is characterised inthat the corresponding mobile arm is constituted from two metalliclongitudinal rigid elements (for example plates) and conductors,arranged close to but separate from each other by a certain distancewhich it will be possible to vary over their course through the arm ofthe sun visor and sized to give rigidity to the aforesaid arm, whichelements are coated with a piece of non-conductive insulating materialin which they are integrated and which is obtained by means ofover-injection on the metallic elements, constituting the body of saidarm.

One of the ends of said metallic elements, that which is incorrespondence with the side of the L-shaped configuration of the armwhich is fitted on the supporting base of the sun visor, is divertedtoward the exterior and is finished in ends free of coating, so that onthose lengths contact will take place by means of the cables coming fromthe vehicle.

For its part, the other end of said metallic elements, that which is onthe side of the L-shaped arm on which the visor is mounted, in one caseis either prolonged in a portion which emerges on the exterior of theactual arm or is diverted toward the external surface of the armdetermining an end length which free of coating, whilst the otherelement is shorter in length and its end is also diverted toward thesurface of the arm determining an end length which is free of coating,thereby determining the pertinent electrical contacts to pass current toan electrical device which can be located both on the sun visor and inanother part of the vehicle, the connection being established throughthe terminals which will be incorporated in the actual sun visor forthis purpose.

Moreover, the ends of the conductive elements of the mobile arm whichremain uncovered on one of the lengths of said arm, are located in anorifice established for this purpose in the base plate where preciselythat end of the mobile arm is mounted, and to which orifice theterminals have access that correspond to the power supply, so that therotation of the mobile arm results in the connection or disconnection ofthose ends of the conductive elements with respect to the power supplyterminals, and therefore the enabling or disabling of the electricaldevice with which the sun visor itself interacts.

In one form of embodiment the base plate has some parallel and lateralguides to individual expansions corresponding to an orifice or neck inwhich the end is housed of the segment of the mobile arm which fits onthe supporting base of the sun visor, in which guides can be plugged thelateral appendages of a female terminal which is connected to thecorresponding conductor strips which fit in the expansions of that holeor neck for housing the end of the smaller segment of the mobile arm, itbeing precisely those conductor strips which were previously termedpower supply terminals.

In another variant of embodiment the base plate has a second type oflateral guides for the coupling and mounting of a socket to protect theactual conductor strips, fitting in the guides of such base plate somelateral projections which that socket has for this purpose.

The sun visor so incorporated provides a solution to the problemexpounded in the previous section, contributing a number of benefitsamong which can be cited, as more important, the following:

-   -   Reduction of the number of pieces and assembly operations        necessary (simplification of the end product or the sun visor        itself and of the manufacturing process thereof).    -   As a consequence of that said in the previous point, the costs        are reduced and the reliability of the production process is        enhanced, as well as of the end product or sun visor during its        useful life.    -   It allows easy automation of the production process of the sun        visor.    -   It allows the embodiment of a switch system which is actuated        when the sun visor eyeshade is rotated about the axis of        rotation of the arm with respect to the base secured to the        bodywork, with no need for adding any special piece to the        assembly.    -   It allows the embodiment of a second switch system which is        actuated when the visor of the sun visor is rotated about the        segment of the arm on which it is mounted.    -   The manufacturing processes of all the components are very        common and straightforward, not requiring a high degree of        specialization nor of means, since the production is based on        the cold forming of metals (bending, cutting, . . . ) and        over-injection of plastic on the metallic inserts which        constitute those conductive rigid pieces.    -   The solution of the sun visor is easily adapted to any type of        vehicle and/or of sun visor which has to support any kind of        electrical or electronic function.    -   Versatility of the actual arm of the sun visor, with electrical        connection, both the mobile arm and the fastening base being        aesthetically compatible with any sun visor of those which        incorporate any type of electrical device.    -   It allows the switch function to act opening or closing the        electrical circuit according to the relative positions of the        eyeshade and of the arm of the sun visor, both to each other and        with respect to the rest of the vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complete the description which is being made and with the object ofassisting in a better understanding of the characteristics of theinvention, in accordance with a preferred example of practicalembodiment thereof, accompanying as an integral part of saiddescription, is a set of drawings wherein by way of illustration and notrestrictively, the following has been represented:

FIG. 1.—It shows a perspective in exploded form of the differentcomponents which constitute the base and the arm of the sun visorembodied in accordance with the object of the present invention.

FIG. 2.—It shows a view in perspective of the assembly of base and armof the sun visor already mounted in accordance with the piecesrepresented in the previous figure.

FIG. 3.—It shows different views of the base plate in its first form ofembodiment, with its features of the lateral guides and neck or orificeto receive the conductor strips.

FIG. 4.—It shows two views in perspective, one from the front and theother from behind, corresponding to the form of establishing theconnection or disconnection, according to the position of rotation whichthe eyeshade of the sun visor has.

FIGS. 5 a, 5 b and 5 c.—They show some views in perspective of themobile arm, but showing a section or longitudinal cut of the same toallow the disposition and configuration to be seen of the conductivemetallic rigid elements inserted in the enclosure which constitutes thecoating of the plastic which forms the body of the actual arm.

FIG. 6.—It shows a view according to a perspective in exploded form ofthe assembly of elements which comprise a second variant of the hingedassembly formed by the base and the arm of the sun visor object of theinvention.

FIG. 7.—It shows, finally, a view in perspective of the coupling of theelements which constitute the base and arm assembly of the sun visoralready mounted in accordance with said second form of embodiment.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In the light of the foregoing figures, it can be seen how the sun visorof the invention is constituted by means of a base (1) and an arm (2)mounted in a hinged manner with respect to the former, which base (1)can be complemented with a decorative plate (3) which has a hole (4) forthe passage of the length of the mobile arm which fits on the basesupporting the sun visor (2), since the latter has an L-shape and as islogical has two lengths, so that one of the two lengths of the arm (2),runs through the hole (4) of the decorative plate (3) and is lodged in ahole (5) defining a neck established for this purpose in the securingbase (1), since the latter is the piece which by means of screwing,clipping or whatever other appropriate means, is fastened to thevehicle.

The neck or hole (5) of the base (1) has some expansions (6) definingindividual housings for the connectors (7) determined by individualconductor strips foreseen in the power supply (8) coming from thevehicle, it being possible to observe how the base plate (1),collaterally with the expansions (6) of the hole or neck (5) has somelateral guides (5′) in which can be plugged the lateral appendages (14)of a terminal (15) which is connected on the conductor strips (7)fitting in the expansions (6) of that aforesaid neck or hole (5). Thoseconductor strips (7) are finished off with one of their ends uncoatedand fitted, as has been said, in the expansions (6) with the contactstoward the interior, so that between them is housed the end of thecorresponding length of the arm (2), assuring physical contact betweenthe two pieces.

Said arm (2) includes a pair of conductive metallic rigid pieces (9) and(9′) of a size to also provide the necessary rigidity to the assembly ofthe arm (2), those pieces (9) and (9′) being inserted in a coatingover-injected on the former, to form the actual arm, on which in turnwill be mounted the corresponding eyeshade of the sun visor.

The pieces (9) and (9′) are mounted separated from each other inside thearm (2), along the same, and both have in correspondence with the endwhich is on the length of the arm which is coupled to the base of thesun visor (2), a diversion toward the exterior defining individuallengths (10) free of coating, that is to say uncovered, to be able toestablish contact with the aforementioned terminals or conductor strips(7) and as will be explained later.

The other end of the conductive metallic rigid pieces (9) and (9′), thatwhich is located on the second length of the arm (2), has in one case,specifically in the conductive piece (9′), a prolongation (11) whichemerges toward the exterior of the end of the actual arm (2), incorrespondence with the length of said arm on which the eyeshade of thesun visor is mounted, whilst the other piece, specifically (9) which isshorter in length, after a diversion toward the exterior, is finishedoff in an end (12) which is also uncovered so that in combination withthe end (11) the corresponding electrical connection terminals areestablished, as is represented in FIG. 5 a.

In accordance with the aforesaid, the connection-disconnection of theelectrical device, for example electrical device 100 of FIG. 4,interconnected with the movements of the eyeshade or of the mobile arm(2) of the sun visor, can be carried out either by rotating said arm(2), or by rotating the actual eye shade with respect to said arm.

A variant of the arrangement of the terminals of the arm would be thatin which both metallic pieces have on their respective ends the sametype of diversion toward the exterior, finished off in respective endswhereby they are uncovered in order to establish in combination thecorresponding electrical connection terminals, as is represented in FIG.5 b.

Another variant of the arrangement of the terminals of the arm would bethat in which one of the two ends corresponding to individual conductivepieces form a continuous peripheral ring as area of electrical contact,the other one being that which performs the switch function, as isrepresented in FIG. 5 c.

When the arm (2) is rotated about the axis of rotation with respect tothe base of the sun visor, the strips (7) corresponding to the powersupply (8) proceeding from the vehicle, in which they are staticallylocated in the housings defined by the expansions (6) of the hole orneck (5) of the base (1), can remain in contact with the ends (10) ofthe conductive pieces (9) and (9′) or in points intermediate orintercalated with those ends (10), in accordance with the position inthe rotation of the arm (2), so that in the first case the electricalconnection will be established and in the second said electricalconnection will be interrupted, and thereby the enabling or disabling,respectively, of the electrical device interconnected with the movementsof the arm (2) of the sun visor. The disconnection position correspondsto the idle position, that is, when the arm (2) occupies its inoperativeposition, whilst when it is rotated into the operative position is whenthe connection is established.

Thus, if the eyeshade of the sun visor is rotated with respect to themobile arm (2), which rotation will be made with respect to an axisparallel to that of the corresponding length of the arm of the sunvisor, it will be possible to establish the corresponding connection ordisconnection, since the power supply conductors (8′) in this case, are,one of them connected permanently to the terminal (11) of the conductiverigid metallic piece (9′), while the other one carries a contact (13)which in the rotation of the eyeshade, as it is mounted on the latter,can make contact with the end (12) of the conductive rigid metallicpiece (9) and establish the corresponding electrical connection, orremain offset with respect to that end (12) and therefore establish thedisconnection.

In a second variant of embodiment of the base of the sun visor shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, on the base plate (1) some lateral guides (5″) are formedon which lateral projections (16) are located and slide corresponding toa protective socket (17) with the conductor strips (7) which arepositioned in the expansions (6) of the cylindrical neck or hole (5) ofthe base (1), those conductor strips (7) being joined to the powersupply conductors (8), as terminal posts of these and fit in theexpansions (6) through the outwardly diverted ends of such strips (7),between which will be located the end of the length of the mobile arm(2) which is mounted on the base supporting the same.

1. Sun visor with conductive arm for vehicles constituted by means oftwo pieces hinged to each other, one as a base for fastening to thevehicle, and another a mobile arm mounted in a hinged manner withrespect to said base, and on said mobile arm, which is arranged in theform of two lengths rigidly joined to each other, is mounted acorresponding eyeshade capable of acting on a device fed electricallythrough connectors or terminals coming from the vehicle, ischaracterized in that the base has a hole or neck and housings forconductor strips associated with power supply cables coming from thevehicle, in said hole or neck is mounted a corresponding end of saidmobile arm of the sun visor; with said mobile arm constituted from twoconductive metallic rigid pieces arranged lengthwise along said mobilearm and with a certain separation between them, with an insulatingcoating over-injected on the mobile arm, one end of each of saidconductive metallic rigid pieces having a diversion positioned incorrespondence with a first length of the mobile arm which is coupled onthe base of the sun visor, said end of each of said conductive metallicrigid pieces is uncoated in order to be able to establish contact withthe conductor strips, in accordance with a position in rotation of themobile arm about a corresponding axis of rotation with respect to theaforementioned base for fastening the sun visor, whilst a second end ofa first conductive metallic rigid piece is in correspondence with asecond length of the arm, on which is mounted the eyeshade of the sunvisor, with the second end of the first conductive metallic rigid pieceprolonged in a length which emerges on the exterior of the mobile arm,whilst a second conductive metallic rigid piece of shorter length andits second end, after a diversion, remains uncovered on said segment ofthe mobile arm, corresponding to the sun visor eyeshade, to be able toestablish connection with a contact foreseen in the eyeshade, when theeyeshade is rotated about the arm, in order to establish supply to thedevice fed electrically which the vehicle incorporates, be thisincorporated or not in the eyeshade of the sun visor.
 2. Sun visor withconductive arm for vehicles, according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe base of the sun visor has, in the hole or neck, individual lateralexpansions of said neck or hole for housing the corresponding end of themobile arm.
 3. Sun visor with conductive arm for vehicles, according toclaim 1, characterized in that collaterally with said lateralexpansions, a pair of lateral guides has been foreseen for slidingcontact with appendages belonging to a terminal to which are fastenedthe power supply cables coming from the vehicle.
 4. Sun visor withconductive arm for vehicles, according to claim 2, characterized in thatcollaterally with the lateral expansions of the neck or hole for housingthe corresponding end of the mobile arm, individual lateral guides havebeen foreseen for holding and sliding respective lateral projectionsbelonging to a protective socket of the conductor strips joined to thepower supply cables.
 5. Sun visor with conductive arm for vehicles,according to claim 1, characterized in that two terminals of theconductive metallic rigid pieces of the mobile arm of the sun visorcorresponding to the length of the mobile arm on which the eyeshade ismounted are both constituted in the same way, both being uncovered onthe length of the mobile arm corresponding to the eyeshade of the sunvisor after the diversion, to be able to establish connection with acontact foreseen in the eyeshade, when the eyeshade rotates with respectto the mobile arm, in order to establish the supply to the device fedelectrically.
 6. Sun visor with conductive arm for vehicles, accordingto claim 2, characterized in that collaterally with said lateralexpansions, a pair of lateral guides has been foreseen for slidingcontact appendages belonging to a terminal to which are fastened thepower supply cables coming from the vehicle.
 7. Sun visor withconductive arm for vehicles, according to claim 2, characterized in thatcollaterally with the lateral expansions of the neck or hole for housingthe corresponding end of the mobile arm, individual lateral guides havebeen foreseen for holding and sliding respective lateral projectionsbelonging to a protective socket of the conductor strips joined to thepower supply cables.